Australia has a lesbian “Idol” contestant

Australian Idol has narrowed down this season’s field to 24 contestants. Among them is 26-year-old Kate Cook, whose favorite article of clothing is her jeans, and whose three desert island items would be beer, a guitar and — whoa, hang on: my gaydar is going bananas. We’d better run Ms. Cook through the Stereotype Analyzer to see what’s going on.

Harley? Check.

Pierced cartilage? Check.

Backpack? Check.

Guitar, hanging on D and D-suspended like something out of the Indigo Girls freshman playbook? Check.

Hat? Double check.

You know, I think Kate Cook might actually be gay. Let’s watch her audition tape to see if we can glean anymore information from it.

Sorry, for a second there I thought a talent show contestant announced her gayness on national television to general applause and merriment from the judging panel. Then I thought Marcia Hines told her she was beautiful, and not to change herself.

But that can’t be right. If an Idol contestant is gay, the network has to hush the whole thing up — even force the contestant’s family members to sign sworn-silence waivers — until after the show is over.

Oh, wait: I was thinking of American Idol, not Australian Idol.

So, Kate Cook is a “farm-living, Harley-riding Lez that wants to sing.” Also, how cute and sincere is this girl? (Answer: so cute and sincere!)